The Unexpected Divine: Rethinking God in John's Gospel – Transcendent Perspectives | Perspectives FUMCSD Pastors Podcast (S3E22)
Feb 13, 2026
Summary
Will we ever fully know and understand God? And if we could … would that even be God? In this final episode of our Unexpected Divine conversations, Revs. Brittany and Hannah explore John 1:18: “No one has ever seen God. It is God, the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.”
Detail
Will we ever fully know and understand God? And if we could … would that even be God?
In this final episode of our Unexpected Divine conversations, Revs. Brittany and Hannah explore John 1:18: “No one has ever seen God. It is God, the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.”
Through their conversation, the female pastors of First United Methodist Church of San Diego use poetic theology, humor, and real-life reflection to wrestle with:
- What it means that Jesus “exegetes” (reveals) the heart of God
- Why mystery is not a weakness of faith, but its depth
- How Jesus reshapes our understanding of transcendence
- Why not knowing everything about God doesn’t excuse us from justice
- Whether Christocentrism is compatible with Jesus’ own ministry
- How diversity in religions may reflect the vastness of the Divine
From TikTok analogies to the Grand Canyon, from Mary & Martha to Sankofa, this conversation invites us into a faith that is expansive, relational, and beautifully unfinished.
Reflection Questions:
- What does Jesus show us about God?
- Which ideas about God have shaped my faith, and which no longer help me grow?
- What does it mean that God is not “seen” but is still “made known”?
Join the conversation by sharing this episode, reflecting with someone you trust, or connecting with the Perspectives community online through Patreon and in person at the weekly Convergence Discussion Group.
Limited on time? Jump ahead to these pivotal moments. Timestamps:
00:00 Opening Question – Can We Ever Fully Know God?
00:46 “No One Has Ever Seen God” – What Does John Mean?
02:51 Jesus as the “Exegesis” of God
06:28 Have We Seen God Through Jesus?
12:32 Jesus Wept – The Heart of God Revealed
16:52 If We Can Explain God, Is It Still God?
20:57 Is Christocentrism Compatible with Jesus?
24:53 Reflection Questions & Final Thoughts
